Serbia v Switzerland (2018 World Cup)
| next = }} Serbia v Switzerland was a match which took place at the Kaliningrad Stadium on Friday 22 June 2018. Preview and teams's preparation Switzerland midfielder Valon Behrami is receiving treatment for a muscle problem but is still likely to play. Head coach Vladimir Petkovic could name the same side that drew 1-1 with Brazil, with Haris Seferovic continuing as a lone forward. Serbia's Luka Milivojevic may be available despite picking up a minor knock in the win over Costa Rica. Head coach Mladen Krstajic is not expected to make major changes but he could hand winger Filip Kostic a start. Serbia are the lowest ranked team in Group E but come into this game in pole position after their 1-0 win over Costa Rica, while the Swiss earned a creditable 1-1 draw with joint-favourites Brazil in their opening game. The Brazilians were frustrated by Switzerland's physical approach and also filed a complaint about Steven Zuber's equaliser after he appeared to push Miranda before nodding home. "Sometimes there's a lack of recognition and that's a pity because we played very well," grumbled Switzerland boss Vladimir Petkovic in the aftermath of that game. "I hope that people will take notice of us and take us seriously." One team that has definitely taken notice is Serbia. "We know everything about Switzerland," stated their head coach Mladen Krstajic after their first match, which was also his first competitive game in charge of the side. If Krstajic can mastermind a second win then the Serbs would reach the knockout stage for the first time as an independent nation. Head-to-head Switzerland have never faced Serbia before. However, Switzerland and Yugoslavia have met 13 times, with the Swiss winning six of those meetings (D5, L2). Yugoslavia won the last time these sides met, claiming a 2-1 friendly victory in Basel in September 2001. Current Serbia head coach Mladen Krstajic scored the winner that day. Their only previous World Cup meeting was a 3-0 group stage win for Yugoslavia in 1950. Switzerland's last win over Yugoslavia was a 2-0 friendly victory in October 1983. Match Switzerland took a huge step towards the last 16 of the World Cup as Xherdan Shaqiri scored a brilliant solo 90th-minute winner against Serbia. The Stoke City player collected the ball near the halfway line before dribbling away from the defence and slotting past Serbia goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic. Granit Xhaka had scored a superb equaliser for Switzerland after Aleksandar Mitrovic put Serbia in front with a header in the fifth minute. Serbia, who had a strong claim for a second-half penalty turned down, had dominated the first half, knowing a win would have confirmed their place in the knockout stages. Switzerland are now level with Brazil on four points at the top of Group E - but in second because of an inferior goal difference. They will qualify for the last 16 with a draw against Costa Rica, who have already been eliminated, in their final game. If Switzerland win, Serbia must beat Brazil in their third match to progress. Switzerland had been outplayed in the first half as they struggled to create going forward and seemed unable to contain constant Serbia attacks. Striker Haris Seferovic was substituted at half-time having had just five touches and that move seemed to spring the Swiss into life. Xhaka drove a powerful strike from the edge of the box past the stranded Stojkovic to equalise in the 52nd minute and Shaqiri hit the post with a curling effort from the corner of the box soon afterwards. Shaqiri was far more influential in the second half - capitalising on poor defending for the winning goal when Serbia left themselves exposed at the back as they pushed for a winner of their own. The forward was left one on one with Dusko Tosic on the halfway line and he was too quick for the Serbia centre-back after Mario Gavranovic found him with a through ball. Shaqiri and Xhaka celebrated their goals wildly - strikes made even more emotional as both are of Kosovan descent. After the break-up of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Serbia responded to separatist pressure from Kosovo by launching a brutal crackdown on the territory's Albanian population, which ended with Nato military intervention in 1999 - while the country became independent from Serbia in 2008. Xhaka's father spent three and a half years as a political prisoner in Yugoslavia, while Shaqiri was born in Yugoslavia before emigrating to Switzerland as a child. Both appeared to make an eagle gesture with their hands as they celebrated, a symbol of the two-headed eagle on the Albanian flag. Shaqiri also sported a Kosovan flag, stitched onto his boots, and was booed by the Serbia fans when his name was read out before kick-off. Asked about his players' celebrations, Switzerland's Bosnia-born manager Vladimir Petkovic said: "You should never mix football and politics. It's important to be a fan and to give respect. Details |goals2 = Xhaka Shaqiri |stadium = Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad |attendance = 33,167 |referee = Felix Brych (Germany) }} |valign="top"| |valign="top" width="50%"| |} Group E Table |w=1 |d=1 |l=0 |gf=2 |ga=1|bc=lightgreen}} |w=1 |d=1 |l=0 |gf=3 |ga=2|bc=lightgreen}} |w=1 |d=0 |l=1 |gf=2 |ga=2 }} |w=0 |d=0 |l=2 |gf=0 |ga=3|eliminated=y}} |} Match Stats= {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- !width=130|Overall !width=70|Serbia !width=70|Switzerland |- !scope=row|Goals scored |2||2 |- !scope=row|Total shots |13||20 |- !scope=row|Shots on target |3||5 |- !scope=row|Ball possession |37%||63% |- !scope=row|Corner kicks |3||7 |- !scope=row|Fouls committed |17||13 |-| Images= Serbia v Switzerland (2018 World Cup).1.jpg Serbia v Switzerland (2018 World Cup).2.jpg Serbia v Switzerland (2018 World Cup).3.jpg Serbia v Switzerland (2018 World Cup).4.jpg Serbia v Switzerland (2018 World Cup).5.jpg Serbia v Switzerland (2018 World Cup).6.jpg Serbia v Switzerland (2018 World Cup).7.jpg Serbia v Switzerland (2018 World Cup).8.jpg Serbia v Switzerland (2018 World Cup).9.jpg Serbia v Switzerland (2018 World Cup).10.jpg Serbia v Switzerland (2018 World Cup).11.jpg Serbia v Switzerland (2018 World Cup).12.jpg Serbia v Switzerland (2018 World Cup).13.jpg Serbia v Switzerland (2018 World Cup).14.jpg Serbia v Switzerland (2018 World Cup).15.jpg See also *2018 FIFA World Cup :*2018 FIFA World Cup Group E External links *Match report at BBC.co.uk Category:2018 FIFA World Cup Matches